2013 - 05 - Afm

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VOLUME 19

M O N T H L Y
7&("4
ANALYZE THIS!
7 Top coaches share
)*()30--&3
their secrets of how

they evaluate players.
Bishop Gormans TONY SANCHEZ

Shows You How To Run the Table
6 COVERAGES & HOW

TO ATTACK THEM
YES, YOU CAN

Run the Triple Option
in the Pistol
NEVER FUMBLE AGAIN

Learn These Keys
to Ball Security
nksimagin
g.com
My biggest problems are defensive

linemen and ofensive alumni.
Letter from AFM Breaking Barriers
Strength Report 10 Common Errors

in Football Strength & Conditioning
By Mike Gerber, Strength and Conditioning Coach, UNLV
Drills Report Advanced Wide Receiver Drills, Part I
By Larry Edmondson, Quarterbacks Coach and Passing Game
Coordinator, Rice University
Safety First Getting On The Same Page
By Adam Griggs
Speed Report - Of-Season Speed Development:

A Dilemma for Small Schools
By Dale Baskett, Football Speed Specialist
Coach to Coach Change of Season
By Bryon Hamilton, Associate Head Coach and Offensive
Coordinator, Shasta College
High Roller! Since Tony Sanchez was
named head coach, Bishop Gorman has won four
consecutive Nevada State Championships and
posted an overall 56-4 record.
By Frank Therber
t Jenkins
to: Clin
Cover Pho
- clint@je
- Bo Schembechler
Emphasizing Ball Security

Mastering the five points of contact will help
keep your runners from fumbling.
By Chad Miller, Running Backs Coach,
Northwestern College (MN)
Understanding Coverages and How to Attack Them

By Gene Suhr
Running the Triple Option in the Pistol
By Nate Cochran, Offensive Coordinator, Alma College
Defending the Power Play

By J.G Aegerter, Defensive Coordinator, Palomar College
Web Exclusives Articles only available

at AmericanFootballMonthly.com
Making the Grade Spring evaluation is essential

for maximizing each players contribution to the team.
AFM Subscribers Ask with Curtis Tsuruda
By JohnAllen W. Snyder, Offensive Coordinator,
Strength and Conditioning Coach,
Pequea Valley High School
East St. John High School (LA)
Heres a sample of the articles

you can look forward
to in June:
t 7-On-7 Competition - Plays That Work

t A Complete 8-Week Summer Conditioning Program
t Inside Zone Variations
t Quarters vs. The Run Game - Adding the Safeties
t Using a Variable Punt Team to Develop a Special Teams Identity
PLUS much more including online articles for subscribers only!
Not a Subscriber? Dont miss a single issue.

Subscribe today and get 10 issues for the low introductory price of $29.99 (Reg.$39)
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Online Priority Code: AFPR1305 t www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com
M O N T H L Y
www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com
Editor & Publisher: John Gallup
jgallup@AFMmedia.com
Managing Editor: Rex Lardner

rlardner@AFMmedia.com
member of my extended family plays in a spring football league. Not casual, pick-up, touch
football, but the real thing. Full equipment, full contact, real stadiums, NFL rules, professional
refs, teams in cities across America. Like a lot of spring pro leagues before it, this league tries
to take advantage of footballs popularity by giving fans a quality, on-the-ield product to ill the void
between the Super Bowl and the start of the fall football season.
There are big plays and big hits. Coaches roam the sidelines and bark instructions to players. Team
names are intimidating Sharks, Fury, Mayhem and sometimes politically incorrect, like the Assassins.
The competition is intense.
Its only when you hear a fan shouting the rallying cry, Lets Go, Ladies!, that you realize that this is
a diferent league altogether. Its football for women, and theyre wearing helmets, pads and uniforms
not lingerie.
Its obvious that these women are passionate about what theyre doing. They have the love of the
game in their hearts, according to Michael Winters, head coach of the Orlando Anarchy. Most of these
women have been told, at some point in their lives, that they couldnt play football. With this league,
they can. We just try to make it fun.
It may be fun, but its also serious football. The Anarchy
are part of the Womens Football Alliance, which has
become, in its fourth season, the largest womens tackle
football league ever with over 60 teams and counting. The
level of skill is surprisingly good.
The WFA is divided into divisions of four or ive teams
that are located close to each other in order to save on
travel expenses. The inancial burden of outitting and
running a football franchise can be heavy players are
responsible for paying for their own equipment in most
Coach Michael Winters with the Orlando Anarchy cases. There are signs, however, that interest in womens
football is growing. New teams are entering the league, sponsorship is increasing and attendance is up.
The Pittsburgh Passion, co-owned by NFL Hall-of-Famer Franco Harris, attract close to 5,000 spectators
for their home games, which are televised regionally. The 2012 WFA championship game was played
in Pittsburghs Heinz Field. The Orlando Anarchy players were the subject of a documentary, Gridiron
Girls, which debuted last fall.
The Anarchy, like most WFA teams, are an eclectic bunch. There are teachers, administrators, law
enforcement oicers and stay-at-home moms. They range in age from 20-something to over 50. Many
are the primary earners in their households, which limits the amount of time they can devote to team
activities and practice.
What they share is a commitment to football and a passion for suiting up and hitting every week.
That commitment means a lot to Winters, who has coached a high school boys team and is now in his
third season with the Anarchy. When asked what the diference is between coaching male and female
athletes, he is quick to answer. Women take the game more seriously, he says. Thats evident when
you look at the pre-game warm ups, the rituals and the game faces that indicate that, for these women,
football is much more than a weekend hobby.
The success of the WFA, along with the growth of high school girls lag football, is an indication of
a changing gender landscape in football. Dont be surprised to see more and more girls trying out for
boys football teams as more barriers are broken.
John Gallup
Editor & Publisher
Design & Production: Scott Corsetti

scottcorsetti@gmail.com
Contributing Writers:
Dale Baskett, Steve Dorsey, Bryon Hamilton
and David Purdum
Director of Audience Development:
Charlotte Vann
cvann@AFMmedia.com
Video & Internet Coordinator: Mark Taylor
mtaylor@AFMmedia.com
Directory Coordinator: Carolyn Clark
Advertising Representatives:
Jim Rohrlack
Editorial and Sales
Administration
President: John A. Clark
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THE COMPETITION
HEATS UP
The NFL High School Player Development program presented by the

National Guard adds a new Lineman Challenge to complement its
nationwide 7-on-7 competition.
f the dozens of 7-on-7 events that have

appeared on the high school football
landscape in recent years, none have
been more successful than the National
7-on-7 Tournament conducted by the NFL High
School Player Development program. In terms
of number of participating teams, overall caliber
of play and the prestige of their National Tournament, no other 7-on-7 event can match the
HSPDs annual competition.
From its modest start in 2004 as an extension
of the HSPD football skills and character development camps, the HSPD 7-on-7 competition
has grown dramatically. Last years program had
regional competitions in all 32 NFL cities that
produced teams to advance and compete in
the National Tournament held in Indianapolis.
A 4-day, 3-night, all-expenses-paid event that
www.nflhspd.com
includes special activities for players and their

coaches alongside a spirited, multi-day competition, the HSPD National Tournament is the premier 7-on-7 event in the nation.
The HSPD 7-on-7 program begins at the over

200 football skills and character development
camps that are free for all participants and conducted around the country. Skill position play-
ers are given the opportunity to work on their

passing and receiving through various drills, and
coaches can evaluate talented players for a spot
on their 7-on-7 team.
A big part of the HSPD camps is the character
development sessions, where all participants receive guidance about how to be better individuals in the classroom, in the community, and at
home. For any athlete wishing to participate in
the HSPD National 7-on-7 Tournament, completion of the character development session is a
requirement.
The HSPD 7-on-7 competition gets serious at
the regional tournaments, which are hosted by
NFL teams in most of the 32 league cities. There,
teams of 12 players and two coaches compete
for the opportunity to represent their NFL team
at the National Tournament, which this year will
Special Advertising Feature
be hosted by the Cleveland Browns for the second

time in three years. Winning the regional event
and advancing is considered a great achievement
for a 7-on-7 team, since the caliber of play is so
high and the rewards of getting to the National
Tournament are so great. Players and coaches
take tremendous pride in representing their NFL
team, and for many, participation in the National
Tournament will be the experience of a lifetime.
At all HSPD events, there is an emphasis on
character development, which is the most beneicial aspect of the program since all athletes
will someday need to focus on life after football.
Thats no diferent at the National Tournament,
where the emphasis is on developing future
leaders by incorporating parts of the HSPD Leadership Program into the events agenda of activities. National Guard representatives and former
NFL players team up with HSPD to provide athletes with a graduate course in character and
leadership that takes what theyve learned at the
HSPD camps to another level.
Top-light competition between Americas
elite high school athletes combine with character development and special activities to make
the HSPD National 7-on-7 Tournament the ultimate 7-on-7 competition.
As impressive as the growth of the HSPD 7-on7 competition has been, it has, like every 7-on-7
event, excluded virtually half of all football players
ofensive and defensive linemen. There is no role
for linemen in 7-on-7 football and there has not
been any kind of comparable activity for linemen
to showcase their talent. Until now, that is.
This year, the NFL HSPD program is breaking

new ground by creating a new series of events
for linemen the HSPD Lineman Challenge
that will give them the opportunity to compete
at HSPD camps and ultimately participate in the
HSPD National Tournament.
We wanted to have a competition for linemen that would complement the national 7-on7 program, said the NFLs Senior Director of
HSPD, Jerry Horowitz. With the new Lineman
Challenge, weve developed a framework that
will give linemen a chance to compete against
each other by performing drills and physical
challenges that are based on important skills a
lineman must possess.
against each other in a pilot program. Linemen

will inally be provided with the same opportunity
to participate in a premier national event that 7-on7 skill position players have enjoyed for years.
In future years, the Lineman Challenge will expand and rival the 7-on-7 in scope. We want to
gradually grow the Lineman Challenge as we did
with 7-on-7, according to Horowitz. Eventually,
we hope to have all 32 NFL teams represented
The HSPD Lineman Challenge will, like the

7-on-7 program, begin at the camp level throughout the country. Every HSPD camp will include
a series of Lineman Challenge drills that will be
competitions between players in critical linemen
skills such as quickness, redirection, body control
and balance, strength, and power and explosion.
Linemen will receive training during the camps
in techniques that will help them succeed in the
Lineman Challenge competition. Winners will be
determined by best times and most repetitions
in the various skills competitions.
For the irst year of competition in the HSPD
Lineman Challenge, linemen from the camps will
be assembled into eight teams of six competitors each and receive trips to the HSPD National
Challenge in Cleveland where they will compete
by a team of linemen that will compete in the

National Challenge.
Over the last ten years, the NFL HSPD program
has established itself as the premier free football skills and character development program
for high school football players across America.
Likewise, the HSPD 7-on-7 program has become
recognized as the number one competition of its
kind for skill position players. With the addition of
the HSPD Lineman Challenge in 2013, the NFLs
High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard now serves even
more of the nations high school football athletes
by adding a new and exciting competition to the
outstanding experiences in skills and character
development that linemen have always received
at the HSPD camps. p
GET INVOLVED IN 2013 If youre a coach who wants to share your expertise with athletes in your area, you can contact the NFL HSPD program and volunteer your services as a
coach at your local camp. If you can spare more time and would really like to give something back to the game, you can organize a new HSPD camp in your region. Either way, youll be part of
the nations best summer camp program for deserving athletes improving football skills and building character with the NFL HSPD program presented by the National Guard.
For more information, visit www.NFLHSPD.com and enter the promo code AFM513.
Special Advertising Feature
www.nflhspd.com
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800-472-6766
10 COMMON ERRORS
IN FOOTBALL STRENGTH
AND CONDITIONING
By Mike Gerber
Strength and Conditioning CoachtUNLV
he profession of strength and conditioning coaching was formally established

in the United States 35 years ago with
the formation of the National Strength & Conditioning Association. The aim of the NSCA was
to merge science and practice to legitimize our
roles and to separate us from other itness-related experts. After all this time, one would expect
an evolution in the quality of programming and
coaching but it isnt evident in the practices of
many strength and conditioning coaches.
Instead of sound programming based on exercise science and practice-proven ideas, there
is a proliferation of weight training movements
and conditioning regimens that dont signiicantly transfer to football.
I believe the reasons for this are the following:
1. Strength coaches are often inluenced by the
commercialization of information. Each year,
there are new pieces of equipment and packaged philosophies that are extolled by their
manufacturers and marketers as being vital to
the performance of football players. Too often,
strength coaches gravitate to the new and diferent at the expense of the tried and true.
2. Many head football coaches are ignorant of
important training principles and confuse style
with substance. As a result, strength coaches are
hired based on their in-your-face coaching personalities and how hard they can make workouts. When this is the primary criteria, anything
that causes pain and extreme fatigue is good;
anything else is lacking.
10
3. The process of educating strength coaches is

still limited in the U.S. Most university exercisescience curricula concentrate on clinical aspects
of training and have a decidedly cardiovascular
itness bias. The lack of extensive schooling in
the theory and application of strength training
cant be overcome by any of the certiication processes available. Unless individuals aggressively
pursue this information on their own, they will
be under qualiied for the task of training college
football players.
4. Some strength coaches are just lazy. Its easier
to mindlessly copy other coaches and to organize workouts so their days are shorter than to
research the facts and meticulously organize
their programs so they will be successful in developing the physical attributes that we know
contribute to players successes on the ield.
While the training process is complex, with
many variations of a theme possible, its a misunderstanding or complete ignorance of what
that theme should be that has to led to bad
practices in the training of football players. And
while its not my intent to list all of the principles
that theme entails, it can be summed up with
one word speciicity. What speciicity means
for the athlete is performing exercises that have
the same character as the more common sport
movements. That character can be deined by:
1. Type of muscle contraction; 2. Movement pattern; 3. Range of motion; 4. Muscle iber recruitment; 5. Metabolism (what energy systems are
predominant); and 6. Rate of force development.
The military has a maxim train the way you
ight; ight the way you train. That sums up the

concept well.
Football coaches have enough to keep them
busy with recruiting, coaching, and research of
strategy and tactics. They dont have the time to
understand everything about the construction
and implementation of their strength and conditioning programs. Instead of a comprehensive
but tedious list of principles, Ive made a list of 10
of the more common errors, and my rationale for
getting rid of them. It really boils down to that
simple concept of speciicity.
1. Prescribing high reps to failure,

or close to failure.
Football is a game of high power output. The
longer the eforts, the lower the power production will be. Also, with more technical movements like the snatch or clean, which are outstanding movements for the development of
power, high fatigue will cause a breakdown of
form and a greater chance of injury.
2. Organizing the team into large lifting

groups.
You cannot properly teach anything but the
most simplistic and non-speciic workouts when
youve put 30 or more athletes in the weight room
at one time. Accordingly, the large-group format
is accompanied by a circuit of bodybuildingtype exercises that require little teaching rather
than the explosive, total-body movements that
are teaching intensive. Coaches usually orchestrate these workouts from a distance, blowing a
whistle to indicate station changes. These mass

workouts use the same weight load per station
instead of carefully prescribed resistances based
on each individuals strength level and possible
injury limitations.
3. Making pain the primary objective.

You can hire just about anyone to inlict pain.
It requires no thought, expertise or efort to
make people hurt. Pain workouts are characterized by the reps-to- close-to-failure approach
and longer sprints with short recovery that have
no metabolic speciicity. Football requires explosive muscular eforts and largely short-term anaerobic capacity.
4. Rating your coaching performance by your

intensity and the volume of your voice.
Coaching intensity is a somewhat hallowed
concept in football, but its important to be yourself as a coach. Athletes respond to many styles
of coaching but few respond positively to being
screamed at constantly. After a while, it diminishes the message and its that message (instruction) and the plan that matter most. Also, if hes
organized his groups for maximum teaching
eiciency, the strength coach is instructing for
8-10 hours each day. Consider the efect on your
physical and mental reserves if each day you
were coaching your position at high intensity
for that long.
5. Using gassers or other runs of similar

distance to condition your team.
The average duration of a football play falls
in the range of 4-7 seconds. These eforts are executed with high movement speeds and power
outputs. The average recovery time between
plays averages 35 seconds, not counting extended rests from time-stoppage. This is a work-torest ratio of about 1:6. Why then use conditioning runs of extended duration, lower speed and
power outputs and with a work-to-rest ratio of
1:1 or 1:2? Unfortunately, the rationale is usually
pain. That pain is not preparing your players for
the demands of the game.
6. Buying equipment or using a training

system because, and only because, a coach
of a successful team is using it.
Many factors contribute to the success of
a football team recruiting, coaching, tactics,
physical preparation. Singling out one as the
sole or primary cause of that success is diicult.
As strength coaches, we believe we make a difference, or we wouldnt have chosen this profession. However, we dont help that cause when
we ignore the pertinent information and forego
critical thought in choosing how we prepare our
players. It is the reason some coaches choose to
shake heavy ropes (a very non-speciic, largely
11
muscle-endurance workout) and/or have their

players balance themselves on balls for stability. Stability in sport is a much more complex
attribute than the ball advocates appreciate and
has been shown to be developed best by constant practice of sporting movements.
7. Considering your primary responsibility is

to build mental toughness.
Mental toughness has been deined diferent ways but the general theme is the psychological quality that allows one to perform at
peak efort and eiciency in high-pressure situations. Coaches who believe that this quality is
enhanced by extreme physical work are hard
to convince otherwise but have no evidence to
support them.
I believe that this approach will not signiicantly change a players genetics and years of
upbringing. If you want a mentally-tough football player, recruit him. I will concede that it will
help you identify who has the capacities to endure and sufer pain well but Im not sure thats
the same quality as being able to focus and
perform in a critical moment in a game, which
is more important. Ill also wager that the guys
you identify as mentally weak in your pain drills
are the same ones who have issues with the daily
discipline of being a student-athlete.
Regardless, the issue is that the strength
coachs job is to advance football players physical abilities to perform at a high level and these
types of workouts seriously compromise that
goal. The extreme fatigue caused by these types
of workouts has been shown to appreciably
lower strength, power and speed levels during
the period they are administered and has led to
serious injuries and medical conditions such as
cardiovascular collapse and Rhabdomyolysis.
8. Devoting an inordinate amount of time to

special Core exercises.
Some legitimate concepts have been hijacked
by so-called itness experts and distorted or exaggerated beyond reason so they can be packaged and sold. Training the core or trunk muscles is one of them. Yes, it is important to have
good strength in the mid-section of your body.
Without it, your spine will not have the support
it needs during heavy loading and the force you
need to generate through the hips and knees
will dissipate on its way through the trunk to the
chest, shoulders and arms. However, the myriad
isolative and high-rep movements prescribed by
the core believers are as nonsensical as using a
leg extension machine for leg strength. What is
interesting is that most of these people would
concede the superiority of a squat over a leg extension because of the integrative nature of the
multi-joint squatting movement vs. the isolative
nature of the leg extension. Yet the same logic
doesnt apply when it comes to the mid-section.
12
Nothing in football is isolative. One of the core

tenets of sport-speciic programming is to train
movements, not muscles. It is the coordinated
and complementary action of many joints and
the muscle/tendon systems that cross them that
must be trained and in a matter consistent with
the major sport movements. That is, range of
motion, speed of movement, rate of force development, etc.
When athletes perform large range of motion,
explosive exercises, they cannot eliminate the
trunk from the mission of moving the resistance
with great force and velocity. More important,
those muscles are used sport-speciically as a
link in a coordinated chain of movement that is
similar to those movements required in football.
9. Training for bulk.

This is an old and persistent
buzzword. Its origin is in the pervasive bodybuilding culture in
the U.S. Most coaches would deine bulking up as an increase
in muscle mass. The best way to
do that is to follow higher-rep
schemes with slow movement
speed and come close to failure.
What happens when you do this
is a selective recruitment of slowtwitch muscle iber and the increased body mass largely comes
from whats called sarcoplasmic
hypertrophy. This is an increase
in the non-contractile proteins
and the semi-luid plasma between the muscle ibers. It is typical of bodybuilders and doesnt
correlate to increases in explosive
strength and power.
Yuri Verkhoshansky, the Russian sport scientist, wrote: The
highest correlation between muscle mass and strength is observed
in those cases when strength is
maximal and the speed at which
it is displayed is of secondary signiicance. The connection between strength and
bodyweight decreases as the speed at which
strength is displayed increases; it does not have
importance for explosive types of exercises.
If you want to improve your athletes power,
which is the primary strength quality needed
by football players, you must use relatively high
loads and/or high rates of force development. If
you want bigger players, you are better of recruiting them and then training them for function rather than structure.
10. Confusing simulation with specificity

This error is generally well-intentioned in that
its an attempt to follow the speciicity principle.
But trying to exactly copy a sports-movement
pattern with signiicant weight can confuse the

neuromuscular programming such that the result
is negative. An example would be to have a quarterback throw a medicine ball in a passing action.
The explosive Olympic-style movements meet
all of the speciicity factors and transfer well to
sprinting, jumping, blocking and tackling.
Its time for the strength and conditioning
profession to progress from tradition-bound and
emotion-driven programming to a principlesbased approach if it is to have legitimacy. If football coaches understand some of the false notions that are represented by the list above, they
can hold their strength coaches to higher standards and improve the readiness of their football
players.
About the Author: Mike Gerber is in his third season as the strength and conditioning coach for UNLV
football. He previously was the strength and conditioning coach for the football program at Montana
for four seasons. Gerber also was the owner of Mike
Gerber Sport Strength and Strength in Motion. He also
coached at Middlebury, Yale, and Syracuse. Gerber received his Bachelors Degree from Maine in 1981 and
his Masters from Syracuse in 1991.
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ADVANCED WIDE
RECEIVER DRILLS
PART I
#Z-BSSZ&ENPOETPOtQuarterbacks Coach and Passing Game CoordinatortRice University
am always looking for efective drills that my receivers can use

to make them better. I think its important to think through drills
before you use them and make sure they reinforce the technique
utilized in a game and the technique utilized within your ofense.
Your players will be able to tell you how certain drills reinforce
situations that come up in a game. Thats when you know you are using
the correct drills.
I always try to get as much out of a drill as I can. When we are doing drills
to improve catching the football, we will also put emphasis on route running. We only run the last ive yards of the route, but we stress sticking and
turning the plant foot, weight over the knee with butt out, and running the
arms through the cut. If the receiver doesnt do this, I dont throw him the
ball. They will eventually get the message.

Drills cannot be taken lightly. Each technique must be practiced to
perfection. We use a phrase called over-emphasize the drill. It basically
means to exaggerate the technique we are working on. If it is catching the
ball, then over emphasize watching it hit the WRs hands. If it is running
the WRs arms through the cut, then over-emphasize the pumping of the
arms. Every drill we do involves catching the football. The catch is not complete until the ball is tucked away. We over-emphasize this technique with
speed to the tuck position and with the proper three-point pressure carrying the football. No fumbles are allowed.
Remember, a player will do what you condition him to do in his drill
work. Here are ive drills you can use to improve wide receiver play.
13
Bad Ball Drill

(Diagram 1)
1. High ball ball is thrown so receiver must

jump to catch the ball.
Diagram 1: Bad Ball Drill
2. Low ball ball is thrown so receiver must

catch the ball between the knees and ankles.
3. Ball behind ball is thrown so receiver must
reverse out to catch the ball.
4. Ball out front ball is thrown so receiver must
extend out to catch the ball.
Points of emphasis: Receivers must take their
eyes to the catch. On high ball, receiver must irm
up his wrists. On low ball, receiver must bend his
knees. On ball behind, receiver must come out
of his hips. On ball out front, receiver must try to
run through the throw.
Note: When doing this drill, we always run
through the last three steps of an in route so the
players get additional work on sticking their foot
in the ground.
Distraction Drill
Diagram 2: Distraction Drill
Points of Emphasis: The WR must not rush his

routes. Make sure he is using the proper technique at each cone. That is, turning the plant
foot and sticking it in the ground. Arms should
be pumping through the route and with proper
upper body lean. WR must get the ball tucked
quickly to get ready for the next route which is
continuous.
(Diagram 2)
Distraction is in the form of the inside of three

dummies. Do this at random so the receiver does
not know which window the ball will be thrown
in. Throw the ball as close to the dummy as possible.
Points of Emphasis: Stay on the line. No drifting
allowed. Reach out and have the WR catch the
ball with his hands. Find the light of the ball as
soon as possible.
Note: When doing this drill, spread the cones

out far enough to allow the thrower time to get
the next ball. Have someone next to the thrower
ready with three balls. Have the WR drop the ball
after each tuck. Extra WRs are stationed to pick
balls up of the ground. You can use the lat RT or
the swing RT at the last station. We use both because we throw bubble screens. Go to the right
on day one and left on day two.
Note: Again, we use the last three steps of our

in route.
BOX drill
(Diagram 3)
1. In route to the irst cone, catch the ball and

tuck it.
2. CB is back to the QB at the second cone.
Catch the ball and tuck it.
3. Flat route or swing at the third cone. Catch
the ball, tuck it and avoid the dummy.
14
Diagram 3: Box Drill
Points of Interest: WR must explode of plant foot

and rip his shoulders around (the head will follow)
and ind the window inside. Teach the receiver to
look at a defenders drop as he is running the vertical part of his route. This will give him a good idea
where the window will be. Stress getting the pads
upield after the catch. Dont have the WR make
the move until you get to the cone. p
Next month: Part II of Advanced WR Drills
will include The Weave Drill, Blocking Drill,
Yards after Catch Drill, High Point Drill,
nd the Wrong Shoulder Drill.
Diagram 4: Gauntlet Drill
About the Author: Larry Edmondson enters his fifth

year this fall on the Rice staf and his third as quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator. 2013
marks Edmondsons 25th year as a college coach
including 14 years of coaching wide receivers. He
has coached at SMU, Auburn, Mississippi State, LSU,
Southern Mississippi and Louisiana-Lafayette. A 1983
graduate of Texas A & M, Edmondson began his coaching career as a graduate assistant with the Aggies.
Diagram 5: Window Search Drill
Gauntlet Drill
(Diagram 4)
1. In route gauntlet left to right, the receiver runs through the dummies, catches the ball and plants of the cone. He then runs through the
gauntlet securing the ball.
Products Include:
2. Repeat the drill going right to left.
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3. For the curl route gauntlet left to right, the receiver runs the end of
a curl route and searches for a window. After the catch, he runs to the
cone and cuts to the left (the next time cutting right) and runs through
the gauntlet securing the ball.
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Points of Emphasis: Catch the ball and get make sure pads are square
upield. When going through the gauntlet, the receiver must use threepoint pressure on the ball. Hand is over the nose of the ball, elbow tight
to the back of the ball and secure the ball against the rib cage.
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For the inside window left side and inside window right side, the WR
runs vertical eight to 10 yards and comes out of a curl cut. Have the WR
search for the inside window. Once the ball is caught, make sure the
WRs square and makes a move of of the cone.
15
SAFETY
FIRST
GETTING ON THE SAME PAGE

Communication between coaches and players, parents and
administrators is one key to a solid safety program.
By Adam Griggs
f youve spent time this of-season reviewing

the latest safety rules and guidelines, working with medical professionals and athletic
trainers to institute procedures for dealing with
injuries, checking out the latest in innovative
safety equipment and making plans to ensure
proper hydration and heat stroke prevention
in early season practices, then congratulations!
Youve taken the irst steps to make player safety
a priority for your program.
Now, looking ahead to next season, its imperative that you have a plan to inform all your key
constituencies players, parents and administrators what you and your staf have done and
will continue to do to make your teams football
experience as safe as possible. Having safety
procedures in place is critical, but sharing your
plans for safer football with the ones they afect
the most will put you and your staf in a position
of strength when dealing with safety-related issues, should any arise.
Gene Robinson, head coach at Marian High
School (MA), takes a comprehensive approach
to safety communication. The responsibility of
communicating safety issues to players, parents
and the administration clearly falls on the head
coach, said Robinson. We have a parents meeting in June at the end of the school year and discuss a variety of issues including safety, summer
workouts, August camp and the fall schedule.
Our athletic trainer is at the meeting so hes available to answer any questions parents may have
related to safety. We also have our helmet sales
representative there to discuss the proper itting
of each players helmet.
Chris Young is the new head coach at St. Marks,
a private residential prep school outside of Boston. He has coached at both the high school and
college levels and understands that communication between coaches, players and parents is
more challenging when they are spread out geographically. Because we have a small roster and
the kids are from all over New England, it is dif-
icult to have a formal conversation with a group

of players or parents prior to the season, he said.
So we have a lot of individual meetings. Communicating what were doing for safety is critical,
so we ind a way.
According to Young, coaches on teams where
the parents are not nearby take on added responsibility for player safety. Before parents decide
to enroll his son at our school and in our football
program, the relationships with the head coach
formed during this period must make them comfortable knowing that their son is in the hands
Parents dont just want to

hear you say it is important they
want to see what exactly you are
doing to keep their child safe.
Sean Walsh
Assistant Coach, Bentley University
of dedicated people with the students interests
always a priority. Parents will often discuss the
dangers of playing the game, and Young does not
shy away from them. But he wants to make sure
the parents know they can call at any time, and
that coaches will never hesitate to communicate
to the parents what is going on with their son.
In the case of a player injury, Young takes the
lead. Regardless of the oicial protocol a school
puts in place, between documenting the injury,
talking to an athletic trainer, doctor, athletic director, it is vital that the head coach be the one to get
a hold of the parents, he said. It lets them know
that he is concerned with the players safety. They
will imagine the worst. Any reaching out you do,
they will be grateful and feel their child is in good
hands when they dont see him every night.
Bentley Universitys Assistant Coach Sean
Walsh sees the same dynamics at this Division II
college. When parents drop of their child, you
are responsible for their lives. Bentley encourages
PRESENTED BY
16
W W W. X E N I T H . C O M
parents to attend a pre-season meeting where

various safety topics such as concussion baseline testing are discussed with the head athletic
trainer. Parents dont just want to hear you say it
is important they want to see what exactly you
are doing to keep their child safe, said Walsh.
According to Walsh, if you are fortunate
enough to have a full-time athletic trainer on
your staf, take advantage of his expertise in
safety. We are lucky to have a trainer that is more
like the 11th coach on staf. We trust in his abilities to monitor not just players but the coachs
eforts in maintaining a safe environment while
balancing the need for contact and some long
practices in extreme conditions, Walsh said, Our
trainer doesnt tell me how my receivers should
run a slant, I know not to question him when our
players are exhausted and need rest.
Retired coach Brent Steuerwald spent 43 years
as head coach at Shenendehowa High School
in upstate New York. In addition to making sure
players and parents are aware of safety policies
and procedures, he knows that its also critical to
keep the school administration aware of any new
developments in football player safety. Its really
important to be on the same page with your athletic director, said Steuerwald. Having the support of the school principal and the district superintendent are also important. In most cases, the
AD controls the football budget which includes
pads, helmets, game pants and jerseys. I would
suggest meeting with the administrative staf a
few times a year before the season, directly after
the season, and in the spring to discuss safety
and logistical issues.
Regardless of what form your meetings or
written correspondence takes, open communication with all groups regarding the safety of your
players is imperative in this safety-conscious era.
We want to keep the lines of communication
open and continue to educate players, parents,
and the administration, said Gene Robinson. No
one wants any surprises. p
OFF-SEASON SPEED DEVELOPMENT:

A DILEMMA FOR SMALL SCHOOLS
By Dale Baskett t Football Speed Specialist
s I write this column each month, I receive more and more replies from coaches at smaller schools. Its become apparent that most
of them have something in common that the of-season presents a challenge for speed and lifting development. The problem
is that athletes at these schools need to be multi-sport athletes. The bulk of the football team plays two to three sports in a small
school, so its almost impossible to fill the rosters on other sports if they were only playing football. This crossover process is a must for
every small school that Ive encountered.
How do you train as a team in the of-season for speed when you only
have a small core group remaining once football is complete? Thats a
question that requires creative thinking and collective cooperation. The
truth of the matter is that its more of an issue compared to what larger
schools face, in most cases. It can clearly be a disadvantage. However, on
the other hand, you can take the situation and make it work positively for
your program if you have a plan. The plan is realizing that the number of
athletes remaining becomes your core nucleus for development. They can
become the model for a later time frame when you get the group back
together prior to the start of the next season.
Its All Doable - A School with a Method

I have a high school that is a regular client each year using my systematic training packages for team speed development. The school is Caledonia
High School (MN). The coach is Carl Fruechte, whos been the head coach
for 14 years. School enrollment averages 275 to 300 students per year.
18
Coach Freuchte has brought me in each year for the past few years.
Coach Freuchte has been very successful, having won three state championships. Carl carries about 70 players, 9th grade through 12th. About 55
athletes play other sports year-round. With only 15 core kids remaining, he
is faced with a dilemma of developing the other athletes who are busy with
other sports. How do you handle this situation and build your athletes?
Freuchte said that the coaching stafs must work together. He leaves the
basketball team and wrestlers alone during the winter months. He takes
the core that is just football, and then brings baseball, track, and soccer
kids to a 6:00 am to 6:45 am training class for of-season lifting and speed
development. The basketball and wrestlers will join in when spring arrives.
When track and baseball season arrives in the spring, the athletes continue to
train early except the sprinters are left alone. The non-sprint track athletes are
a part of the morning training classes. Freuchte cuts back on the workload of
the baseball, track, and soccer players during their season. This requires extra
work for the coach but its what it takes to grow athletes during the of-season. To add salt to the wound, Freuchte lives in a cold climate and his school
doesnt have a ield house. I asked him how does he do his speed work with
three feet of snow and zero degree weather? With our situation, we have to
use the hallways before school to get it done, said Freuchte. Occasionally,
well go in the gym and do movement speciicity work.
How Does the Mental Aspect Play a Roll?

An issue many coaches face is the mental part of having less than desirable circumstances. You must work through and around the obstacles at
hand. Not always having the best situation, the athletes must be prepared
mentally to understand coaching expectations regardless of limitations.
Their focus is critical because the time frame for of-season training opportunities will be shorter than one would like. I asked Coach Fruechte, What
do you personally do to create a good mind set and how is it structured for
the athletes in terms of your daily and weekly activities?
We frame everything were going to do with the athletes each week,
said Fruechte. Mentally, we teach them how they must visualize our tasks
as a collective group. It requires a serious mental approach to each workout. The level of expectation is discussed all the time in a positive manner.
Our job is to direct the kids mind-set and teach them how to control focus
and energy, which is a valuable tool. This type of atmosphere and having
the proper comprehension clears the pathway for better focus. We believe
that less is more and more can be less. Often, quantity is less because of the
lack of quality focused execution. We dont substitute more when quality
may be compromised.
We frame everything were going to do with the

athletes each week. Mentally, we teach them how they
must visualize our tasks as a collective group.
- Carl Freuchte
The more often you take time each week discussing the mental side of
training, the better the performances will be. Before long, the athletes will
begin to take pride in the training atmosphere as a group. This will help your
chances for developing speed to a higher level and your athletes will collectively buy in to your system. Theres nothing better than working with a group
that feels mental togetherness. A directed mental atmosphere thats consistently applied can result in both enormous production and group pride.
Speed & Movement is Pure Quality

Dont be Anxious
Less quantity and higher focus creates greater positive visualization.
Techniques are always more important than just lengthy workouts that are
quantity oriented. This carries over to the way your athletes learn to play
and by how they are directed to use the shorter moments you have for ofseason training in a more productive way. They will not squander reps as
often, once they have learned to view the task theyre presented seriously.
Even though you are facing limited numbers in the of-season, you can
get your athletes faster and moving better even though youre pressed in
various ways. The key is to be consistent with your quality focus towards
production and mental guidance. Youll be amazed at what you can accomplish by the end of the of-season. Last, but not least, remember that
the core group you have will be instrumental as role models for the entire
team. The athletes will see the value in the system and the way you have
conducted the program which will expose it as a winner. p
Coach Baskett began his career as a football speed coach in 1979. During
the last 34 years hes consulted and trained hundreds of coaches and thousands of athletes nationwide. In the last year he has worked directly with high
schools in California, Texas, Minnesota, Kansas, and Pennsylvania. Over the
last few years he has also consulted with Texas Tech, Ohio State, USC, University of Washington, and the University of Mount Union. You can reach him
directly for more information or if you have specific questions on your training
program. Coach Baskett is at dbspeedt@hotmail.com and 858-568-3751.
11
By Bryon Hamilton
ast year, I wrote an article describing the ever-expanding coaching carousel that all of
us in this profession encounter. The article described some of the challenges of change
within the coaching profession. I received a lot of emails regarding this article. It seems
that all of us in coaching are presented with change or the opportunity for change on a continual basis. Some of this change is welcomed and, unfortunately, some of it is not. Deciding
to change jobs is often one of the most diicult decisions a person can make. Until recently,
I did not need to tackle this challenge in a long time. Ive been teaching and coaching at the
same high school for a decade.
Ten years ago, I made the decision to change

coaching jobs and accepted the head varsity
football coaching job at Foothill High School in
Palo Cedro, California. I had never been a high
school varsity coach, let alone a varsity head
coach, but that was exactly the job I wanted. I
was 34 years old and itching for a chance to build
my own program. I had spent the previous six
years as a college assistant and I loved it, but this
was a new test and a new opportunity to build
my own program.
I met that challenge with great excitement
and a nave sense of conidence. I was sure that
I would be successful, and that success would
come rather easily. I had good reasons to believe this. I enjoyed success as a college player, I
had experienced success as a high school junior
varsity head coach and I was an accomplished
young college coordinator. I had no reason to
believe that this new job would be any diferent.
Success was expected and the possibility of failure never entered my mind.
20
Seven months later, I sat alone in a visitors

locker room wondering how things had gone so
wrong. We had won two games and lost eight.
We had just lost our seventh game in a row with
the last defeat coming at the hands of a team
that our school had never lost to before. Humbled and embarrassed, I wondered what had I
gotten myself into. In the months that followed,
I spent countless hours examining every failure
and shortcoming of that season. In looking back,
I now know that failure and the many trials that
I encountered were exactly what I needed to
become a successful head coach. In the months
that followed that inaugural season, I developed
a vision and a plan for myself and my program. I
have shared many of these principles with you
over the years but I think that these basic ideas
are worth revisiting.
My initial six coaching principles have served
me well over the years. They have been my blueprint for success and they continue to be my
coaching compass even today:
1. Surround yourself with passionate people

who have talents that are diferent than yours.
2. Pursue education every day. Learn
something positive from every experience.
3. Live what you preach. Only ask your staf and
players to do something or be something that
you are willing to do or be on a daily basis.
4. Be lexible enough to allow your players

and staf to reach their full potential and exceed
their personal expectations.
5. Never compromise your principles and
integrity for short term success. Sustained
success comes from a solid foundation built
over time.
6. Make being comfortable uncomfortable.
Continually push yourself out of your comfort
zone to avoid the trap of becoming comfortably
sedentary.
Ten years later I can say that my tenure as a
high school head coach was incredibly fulilling
and successful in ways that I never thought were
possible. My journey was full of ups and downs,
wins and losses, fun and frustration but it was
mostly illed with wonderful people who made
the experience a blessing for me and my family.
2013, Shasta College | By: Peter Griggs
Associate Head Coach and Ofensive Coordinator

Shasta College
The best thing you can do is the right thing;

the next best thing you can do is the wrong thing;
the worst thing you can do is nothing.
- Theodore Roosevelt.
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Today, change has once again come to the

Hamilton household and to my football career.
Several weeks ago I resigned from my job as the
head varsity football coach at Foothill High School
and accepted the associate head football coach
and ofensive coordinator position at Shasta Community College in Redding, California. The Shasta
College football program has experienced some
hard times as of late. This has prompted several
people to ask why I would leave a job of comfort
and successful familiarity for a job that will require
a revamping of both philosophy and structure.
My answer see principle #6.
Change simply for instant gratiication can
be disastrous but change for the right reason
is good and is often required for growth. Andre Gide once said, Man cannot discover new
oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight
of the shore. I am very excited about my new
coaching job. Addressing the numerous challenges associated with changing the culture of a
football program has been a much needed shot
of adrenaline to my professional life. I have found
that taking on a new job is a lot like buying an
old house with the seller seeing only the problems and the buyer seeing only the potential.
I am the new buyer and my hope and desire is
that I keep that perspective.
In the three weeks that I have been on the job,
the amount of progress has been incredible. We
have hired new coaches who can be deined by
principle #1. We have revamped our approach
to almost every aspect of the program and have
established new goals and expectations. This
excitement and rededication to excellence has
been relected in our recruiting as well. The plan
that I developed ten years ago is once again being
implemented at the infancy stage and I am conident that the results will be something that I have
become accustomed to sustained success.
Maybe you are in the midst of a change. Or
maybe you are in the process of rebuilding a
program. Whatever your situation is, know that
there are many coaches throughout the country
that are in your same situation or have successfully gone through something similar. If you ind
yourself desiring change, also know that there
are opportunities out there for coaches who are
willing to put in the work and are willing to accept challenges with a great attitude.
I heard a very successful collegiate head coach
once say that the key to being a great coach is to
take the right job. I agree. But another key is to
have a plan, a vision, a set of principles that you
can rely on no matter what job you take or where
this profession takes you. My advice is to never be
afraid of a challenge. Embrace the diicult jobs
with the enthusiasm of a home buyer. See the potential, embrace the task and never allow fear of
change to keep you from reaching your goals.
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21
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22
Live well. The words are simple; however, what they entail for
All Photos: Clint Jenkins - clint@jenksimaging.com
those associated with the Bishop Gorman High School football program is
anything but. Serving as the mantra which internally deines Bishop Gorman football, live well is part of an overall philosophy which has contributed to the school capturing the last four 4A Nevada State Championships.
There are six identiiable components one can link to the culture of success that is Gaels football. These six characteristics are citizenship, tradition,
communal cohesiveness, a irst-class of-season strength and conditioning
program, a strong coaching/support staf and a schedule that includes
televised interstate games with the top prep teams in the country.
Holding the door open for a peer, tucking in ones shirt and acting as a
respectable citizen in the public eye are just a few examples of what living well means to Gaels Head Coach Tony Sanchez. While games are won
and lost on Friday nights in late summer through the fall, the game of life,
according to Sanchez, is won after the lights go of and diplomas both in
high school and college are received and societal contributions are made
down the road.
An accomplished high school and former collegiate coach, Sanchez

came to Bishop Gorman hoping to restore the type of routine, on-ield
contention and consistency to which the Gaels program was accustomed
in prior decades. Winning six state championships in a thirteen-year span
beginning in 1970, the program would not bring home another title for
almost 25 years.
It was interesting the way it happened, Sanchez said. It wasnt something I was really looking for. I think what they were looking for was someone to come in and establish some accountability. We were able to do some
great things while I was at California High in San Ramon before coming to
Bishop Gorman.
Accountability was something current Bishop Gorman President John
Kilduf, who held the same position when Sanchez was hired in 2009, saw in
the coach from the beginning. Tony is a no-nonsense guy, Kilduf said. He
demands a lot from his players and his assistant coaches; that was evident to
us as we were going through the search process. It was his competency as
a football coach, his appreciation for respect and development of character
and an emphasis on sportsmanship. He demands 100% from everyone.
It has been my experience that Xs and Os are the least discussed topic
during a job interview, said Sanchez. I want to be as prepared as possible
and be ready to discuss anything from my philosophy on education and
football to character development. With regard to Bishop Gorman, community building, player and parent relationships and communication and
the development of character were all important issues.
23
Despite going more than two decades without winning a state championship prior to Sanchezs arrival, Bishop Gorman remained relevant in the
world of high school football from a personnel standpoint. The program
saw players such as Demarco Murray (Oklahoma, Dallas Cowboys), Grey
Ruegamer (Arizona State, two-time Super Bowl Champions with the Patriots and the Giants) and Blake Ezor (Michigan State, Denver Broncos) keep
the tradition of high-level football alive and the schools name fresh in the
minds of those around the game.
I think its huge, Sanchez said. I think its a powerful thing when you
have tradition, and if you dont have it, its important to build it. We should
celebrate players who have come through. When the community sees kids
that are playing for their alumni communities, its a powerful thing. Its pretty humbling when you say, hey, there are people that have done it before.
We never want to forget about where we came from and how humble our
roots are. We want to talk about our Catholic principles and history.
Founded in 1954 and still the only Catholic High School in southern Nevada, the Gaels immediately revived that model of consistency under the
watchful eye of Sanchez.
That irst year (at Bishop Gorman) wasnt easy, Sanchez said. I dont
think there was any accountability. When we got here, we didnt really worry about what was here and what wasnt. We had an idea of what we wanted to do. Obviously, the irst thing was to have discipline. It took awhile, but
the kids realized that discipline makes a diference.
The turnaround was quick, as Bishop Gorman captured its irst of the
four consecutive titles in Sanchezs initial season. Sanchez believes that in
addition to setting teenagers up for long-term success, living well and
communal cohesion contribute to winning on the ield. He traces his philosophys roots back to Onate High School in Las Cruces where he spent
three seasons as a defensive position coach and coordinator.
24
It was at Onate where the former New Mexico State graduate assistant
irst felt passion for coaching and, in 2002, he learned that any program
with a strong, communal relationship possesses a potent asset. Set in a
low socioeconomic area in Las Cruces, the Onate football team came together to win that years state championship behind the strong backing of
its classmates, parents, fans and fellow residents. Its 2002 title was the irst,
and only, in school history. That was a program that held coaches accountable and ignited the community, he said. It was a powerful thing. Sanchez
is quick to point out that the tradition and similar sense of family around
Bishop Gorman is not something to hide, but rather to build culture upon.
SUPERIOR FACILITIES A PLUS

To really appreciate what we have today, you have to appreciate where
you came from, Athletics Director Sally Nieman said. We havent always
had (irst class facilities), but what we have always had is a huge commitment from our Bishop Gorman community.
Just inside the entrance to the school hangs a picture of the Gaels now
elegant campus, including its football stadium the irst school history - built
in 2008. The picture, Sanchez notes, is a symbol of the communitys support
around both the football program and the school itself. In this case, large
endowments on the part of the Southern Nevada community made the new
school setting possible. This includes a state of the art weight room facility.
Saying there is a sense of organization in the Bishop Gorman football
program would be an understatement. While living well is stressed year
round, of-season player development from a pure football standpoint also
receives the same, high-level priority. Sanchez labels the Bishop Gorman
program as a competitive environment, where the weight room takes utmost importance among the players throughout the calendar year.
EMPHASIS ON STRENGTH
We want to go out and compete every week. I think what that does is
raise the level of everyday living, Sanchez said. Speciically, the strength
and conditioning program at Bishop Gorman aims at elevating players one
level above what their natural threshold may allow.
For building the program, its huge, Director of Strength and Conditioning Sean Manuel said. Its proved year in and year out to be one of the
deciding factors when we compete against teams. In the weight room in
the of-season program, you are able to focus on building a certain level of
toughness. Weve made good players really good players and weve made
average players good players. Every year we watch a certain evolution take
place where guys come out and become major contributors.
Manuel was quick to point out that many aspects of the of-season workouts at Bishop Gorman are tailored toward those of collegiate programs.
I think there are certain kids that arent your top-tier guys, that can make
themselves scholarship-eligible through the hard work in the weight room,
Manuel said. And, when they get to the next level, its an easier transition
and theyre not lost.
Five Gaels from the class of 2013 will play football at FBS schools, and four
others will play at schools at the FCS level. Two Gaels since 2010 have played
in a BCS game, including the 2013 BCS National Championship Game.
We feel like the weight room is the most important part of high school
football, Manuel said. In high school football, youve got a shot to win
football games with that type of toughness. Weve really embraced that
competitiveness. We dont put the weights away when the season starts.
No aspect of Bishop Gormans of-season program requires footballs
until spring drills roll around. Players begin their ofseason regimen after Christmas vacation, engaging in workouts ive days per week. While
Bishop Gormans players focus purely on strength and conditioning from
Christmas until after spring break, assistant coaches waste no time diving
into the previous seasons ilm archives and player evaluations.
We also have a competitive atmosphere in the weight room over the
winter and spring months, said Sanchez. We do this with our shirt competition. All players begin with a white t-shirt After six weeks in, we have our
irst maxes of the year. We test for clean, squat, and bench press as well as
the 40-yard dash, shuttle and vertical jump. In order to wear our colors in
25
Diagram 1: 34 Power Ready Y Up

Position
TE
PST
PSG
C
BSG
BST
Note
Assignment
Release up to 1st alley defender outside of the EMOL.
T & G = Deuce (2) Double to lst LB on or quick side of midline
T & G = Deuce (2) Double to lst LB on or quick side of midline
Down lst DL quick side of midline
Pull to lst LB tight side of midline
Gap and wheel
Regular power rules apply except for the TE
Diagram 2: 77 Double Arrow H Sit

Pre-Snap Look: Look for 1 or 2 jacks/safetys
Post-Snap Read: QB keys MLB drop for H then high lows lat defender
Read and Reaction: H reads MLB - if he drops to deep hole, sit at 6-8 yards. If he locks up man or plays shallow,
middle run to split Jacks
Progression: 2 Jacks - H to Y to Z or H to A to X
Variations: Vs. cover 3, X converts to post, Z converts to post curl, and H sits.
Coaching Points: 2 Jack scheme vs. quarters or cover 2
the weight room, players have to clean, squat and bench speciic amounts
of weight. To become an Iron Man, a player must clean 275 lb., squat 400
lb. and bench press 300 lb.
Sanchez has had most of the same assistant coaches during his four
years at Bishop Gorman. The one thing I can say is I have a loyal staf,
he said. I came in with a packet A to Z on what I expected from assistant
coaches and, also, a supportive administration. We can discuss and debate
certain things, but at the end of the day we can all walk out and be on the
same page. If we ask all these things of our kids, we had better be willing to
work seven days and be here on Sunday nights in order to be successful.
Each member of the Bishop Gorman staf agrees that its important to
arrange one of the toughest schedules in the country. This past season in
its opening contest, Bishop Gorman defeated nationally renowned Our
Lady of Good Counsel in a game televised by ESPN. The idea to play the
best in preparation for the state playofs came from Matt Sweeney, a friend
and former coaching colleague of Sanchez.
He said if theres any advice I can give you, schedule some tough games
so you can learn how to win and then, go out and play the best, Sanchez
said. I took that advice to the bank. We now have a number of intersectional match-ups each year. This coming fall, the Gaels are playing ive games
against out of state opponents: Desert Pointe (AZ), Servite (LA), Santa Margarita (CA), Bergen Catholic (NJ) and Washington (FL).
Bishop Gormans staf is constantly inding new ways to innovate its offensive and defensive approach. In addition to ilm study, Sanchez takes his
team and his coaches to an annual camp at Fresno State and his coaches to
study new ofensive and defensive schemes.
Such study has led to many spread ofense innovations in the Bishop
Gormans pro-style system. In 2012, , Bishop Gorman beat its playof opponents by an average of more than 47 points-per-game, which included
a 53-point route of Liberty in the 2012 4A state championship. In ten different games last fall, Bishop Gorman scored 50 or more points and had
season totals of 4,480 yards in rushing and 3,171 passing.
Were going to use multiple formations and shifts and try to create a
numbers advantage at the point of attack, Sanchez said. Well give you a
bunch of diferent looks and make you defend the entire football ield. Our
ofense uses 21, 11, 12 and 22 personnel groupings. Zone and power are
the two most frequently used plays. One of our favorite power plays is 34
Power Ready Y Up (Diagram 1). We use variations of 77 Double Arrow H Sit
as a pass play (Diagram 2).
The Gaels old school philosophy coupled with spread ofense is in part
why the of-season program is so complex. Versatility with regard to the
run, drop back and short passing game are a must when it comes to the
programs ofensive linemen. We want our ofensive linemen to be great
athletes and to create athletic power, Sanchez said. Our ofensive linemen
have to be able to get involved in the screen game. There have to be athletic movement patterns. As hard as these kids work, as hard as we push
them, we dont want anything handed to them. At the end of the day, the
battles are what we all live for.
Defensively, Bishop Gorman utilizes a multiple front with both the 4-3
and 3-4 packages. When we are in our 3-4 package, we are very aggressive
with our defensive calls, said Sanchez. We will be zone blitzing on almost
every snap.
It is Sanchezs all around leadership, according to Nieman, that makes
Bishop Gorman the overwhelming winner in most of those battles. Tony
is such a perfect it for our school because he really represents our brand
so well, she said. Hes a great motivator, a great teacher, a great role model
and incredibly consistent. Hes just as much a leader of parents and alumni
as he is the athletes themselves.
While a focus on grueling of-season work, competitive scheduling and
internal and external evaluation has led Sanchez to four championships in
four seasons, the game has just begun for Bishop Gorman football players,
according to the head coach. If you havent gone on to graduate college or
become a productive member of society, you didnt win, you havent lived
well, he said. p
27
+)',%2&#%0"#
Matt Kelchner
Spring evaluation is essential for maximizing each players

contribution to the team.
By JohnAllen W. Snyder
Assistant Head Coach and Ofensive CoordinatortPequea Valley High School (PA)
hile coaches understand that player evaluation is a year-round necessity, spring is a particularly important time for returning player evaluations as your team heads into the summer pre-season lull. Its the perfect time to size up the strengths and weaknesses of each athlete and set
personal and team goals. What is the best way to evaluate a returning player? American Football Monthly asked seven high school and college
head coaches. They included:
Matt Kelchner
Head Coach,
Christopher Newport
University
Chris Miller
Head Coach,
Spartanburg
High School (SC)
Kevin Loney
Head Coach,
Nichols College
John Wristen
Head Coach,
University of
Colorado-Pueblo
John Rodenberg
Head Coach,
Archbishop Moeller
High School (OH)
AFM: When considering players who will be returning to your team, what methods do you use
to evaluate them and prepare them for greater
responsibility?
cannot do. We will evaluate kids on whether or

not they are football savvy, speed, strength,
and inally what amount of work ethic and heart
are they going to put into this.
Kelchner: We use a system of evaluations at the

freshman level all the way through their senior
year and graduation that relates to academics, ofseason accountability, ilm study, practices, game
success, and entire person discussions. We are concerned with much more than the football player.
Breisblatt: Our system is designed to be eicient, yet cover all of the major areas we feel a
player should be evaluated on. We have broken
it down into four major areas accountability,
efort, alignment, and assignment. With regards
to accountability, we feel this encompasses a lot.
Are they on time? Do they show up consistently?
Can we depend on them to be there when its
easier to go out with friends? Also, are they accountable on the ield? Do they have an interest
in getting better after watching a tough critique
Miller: We look at kids and try to determine what

positions they will help us be most successful
Once we have been around the kids for a period
of time, we pretty much know what they can and
28
Evan Breisblatt
Head Coach,
Pequea Valley
High School (PA)
Brett Steuerwald
retired Head Coach,
Shenendehowa High
School (NY) for 43 years
of their playing time? Efort is a lot like accountability in that we can use it to cover a lot of things
of-season efort, conditioning efort, academic
efort, practice efort, game efort, etc.
Alignment and assignment are our two more
speciic and detailed areas of concern. Here we
look at each players position. Can they play the
position? Do they know what to do in this or that
situation? Weve found that keeping it simple actually covers all our bases.
Steuerwald: Thats a very simple question but
not a simple answer. Its a very complex, involved
process. We look at a number of things when
evaluating a player performance, commitment,
volunteer commitment, and of course, ilm. In re-
gards to performance, I am interested in what are

they doing on the ield to get it done? Are they
executing our ofense or defense correctly? Commitment is a major part of being a football player.
Are they going to commit to doing what is necessary to be successful, not only themselves but
more importantly the team? Also, we look at what
I call the volunteer commitment. This is committing to of-season workouts, football camps they
go to on their own, things like that. Finally, we use
ilm because without a doubt the ilm doesnt lie!
Its a straight up, look at the player from a football
standpoint. We do this every year from the time
they enter our program.
Wristen: The jump from high school to college
is so big that its tough to gauge how the athlete will merge into the college game without
actually seeing him versus college players. This
is why spring ball evaluations are critical for our
assistant coaches. Here, my guys get a good
look at what a kid can do skill-wise. We look at
three major areas in the spring for incoming
guys - strength (what must he improve on to be
a player for us); lexibility (which I believe is an ignored area); and inally, mentally (can the player
pick up the system, deal with adversity, keep his
grades in order, etc.).
AFM: Do you involve assistant coaches in the
player evaluation process?
Loney: I am a huge proponent of having my assistants involved in the evaluation process. The
number one trait we look for in coaches is their
ability to evaluate players. The assistant coaches
meet with the players by position and individually. We feel the personal aspect of the player is
extremely important. What are their strengths
and weaknesses? Whats their personal life like?
This is what I want my assistants to get into with
our players. This helps us tremendously when it
comes to coaching diferent types of kids.
are here, we want you to stay here and graduate. Next, we get into what I call the social part of
their lives. We have a spring player exit interview
sheet (Chart 1).
This encompasses everything that doesnt include football or academics. It can be anything
from their living situation, what are they going
to do for a job, do they need a job? Are they inancially OK? Do they have issues at home? Finally, we talk football. We go through it all with
them - good things, bad things, and we set goals
for them. They also complete a self analysis. We
want them to be able to talk to us about problems theyre having and thats when we can
delve into the plan of how theyre going to get
there, ix it, or achieve their goals.
Rodenberg: Its a two-way street when discussing player input. We have so much at our disposal here when we bring a kid in to talk with him
about where he feels he should be on the team.
We have lifting records, ilms, practice ilms,
grades. We have everything and we can lay it
right out for them. On their end, they have what
they think they can do to help us. One thing I
have found out is that these kids have a much
better sense of where they it into the team dynamic than a lot of people think. They get it; they
just want to be a part of something special.
Kelchner: I like to sit down with the athlete and
position coach and talk about everything. We
want to talk about football, yes, and we do that
for sure. We talk about the strengths and weaknesses they have. How can they work to improve
their game? Once that is done, we make a strong
point of talking about the kid himself. We do this
speciically at the end of every season but also
throughout the year at various points. In their
exit interviews, we talk about academics irst.
This is a tough school to get in and once you
Steuerwald: They have great input into their

performance. Its the one thing they control
through their work ethic, efort, things like that.
At the end of every season usually between
Thanksgiving break and Christmas break, as
the head coach, I sit down one-on-one with the
player and talk. This is a very non-threatening
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Steuerwald: In my years of coaching, I was very

fortunate to have great longevity with my staf.
When I irst started, I had three coaches other
than myself. We were still coaching together
nearly 30 years after that. Another coach was
with me for almost 17 years, and still another
for 10. When I speak with our younger up and
coming coaches I preach to them, be positive
with everyone on the team. We want everyone
to have a good experience. As coaches, we must
evaluate and do a job, but as younger coaches I
tell them I dont want to hear that a kid in 8th9th grade isnt going to be a player when he is
older. Im not interested in that, Im interested in
developing the athlete into a player and a lot of
that comes from positive reinforcement and not
negative reinforcement.
AFM: How much input do you receive from the
player himself on his performance?
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Chart 1
29
your goals appropriately, they will help the team

achieve the team goals.
discussion and more of a conversation between

two people who want the same thing. Its a personal environment, not a coaching one. I get
a completely diferent reaction from each kid,
none two are the same. We use a very detailed
question sheet that asks things such as:
1. What are your football strengths, weaknesses.
2. What are your academic strengths and weaknesses.
3. What are your goals both on and of the ield.
Kevin Loney
kids themselves to take ownership of the team
and most importantly themselves in regards to
watching ilm.
Breisblatt: Absolutely, its paramount. In todays
game, more than ever, ilm is in use and if you
dont take advantage of it you will not be successful. We grade each players ilm after every game.
We use a very simple grade sheet (Chart 2) on a
plus/minus scale. Its very simple and allows our
coaches to quickly evaluate all of our players and
give feedback on where they need to improve.
Breisblatt: We have a percentage goal for each

player. We want each player to average out at
70% for each game. The players buy into this and
are always eager for feedback that is measureable. When a player receives less than a 70% on
their overall score, they are looking at a reduction in playing time with the next man up, or
their position being moved in order to be more
efective based on their abilities.
AFM: Do you set goals and expectations with

each player evaluated?
AFM: Do you use specific forms in evaluating

a player?
Miller: We have team goals for sure. Everything

is broken down by unit, ofensively, defensively,
and the kicking game. Here we are looking to
encompass all the diferent aspects of a game.
We do use personal goals but stress if you set
Loney: We use two speciic forms. First, the self

assessment, which we use at the end of the
season, when we meet with our players (Chart
3). We sit down and talk through the form with
them its great for identifying the strengths and
4. What did you like best, least about the season.

5. What could we have done as a staf to better
develop you a person, player, teammate, etc.
6. Questions about the rest of the team. How do
they feel about the commitment of the team?
7. What did they think of pre-game practice on
Thursday, Sunday ilm nights, etc?
It also has a section reserved for a very honest
evaluation from me. I look at all aspects of the
person work ethic, efort, technical, and fundamental aspects. We sit and talk for nearly 45 minutes with each player. I want each player to know
that the coaches care and I want them to know
I care and they do have a voice and opportunity
to speak to me.

AFM: Technology is an
integral part of todays
game. Coaches are now
breaking down everything that can be filmed
in order to get that slight
edge over the competition. Is analyzing tape of
the player a part of the
process?
Loney: Yes, we use a combination of individual

and team goals. I often talk with the players about
Where do you want to go? We get all sorts of
answers but thats really not what Im looking for.
Im interested in talking with them about what
they are going to look like in getting there? That
helps drive our goal setting, in a reverse order.
Identify what you want to look like as a champion
and then work backwards to determine what you
have to do to get to looking like that.

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Chart 2
Rodenberg: We grade our ilms and our position coaches handle that, but what we really
like with our ilm system is we have the ability to
check in on our athletes and see how much ilm
they have watched. This is an opportunity for the
30
Chart 3
Richard Orr
Wristen: We have a pretty comprehensive system in place for ilm breakdowns. It is three
pronged assignment, technique, and toughness. Assignment and technique are very simple
plus and minus scores. Did he do his job? Yes,
then he gets a plus. Running the wrong route is a
minus. Its a very simple process and easy for our
coaches to critique and complete. Toughness is
also a plus and minus score but graded on many
levels. Are you a competitor? Did you commit a
stupid penalty? Are you mentally tough enough
to make a mistake and come back harder the
next play? Things like that.
weaknesses. The ixing it portion of the form is

the hardest for the athletes. Weve now identiied their weaknesses. Now, how do they want to
go about ixing it and taking ownership of their
career? When we get to this point is when we really start to have some good, hard, real conversations. Secondly, the evaluation form (Chart 4) is
what our coaches use to evaluate the players at
the end of spring and at the end of the season.
This allows us to get a comprehensive report on
each player and where they stand and where
we think they can help us. We take this into our
meetings with the individual kids as well.
Miller: We use a speciic proile sheet for recruiting purposes. When a recruiter comes into look
at one of our kids, we have this speciic proile
sheet that we can hand them. It gives the recruiter a basic overview of the player. It has academic
information, stats, etc.
Rodenberg: A speciic cookie cutter form doesnt
work for me. I would rather sit down with an athlete man to man and talk. I value the personal
diferences that each athlete has and wants to
focus on them individually.
AFM: What are some of the intangibles you look
for in assessing a players overall performance?
Steuerwald: Consistent eye level efort. Does the
young man give a complete, consistent efort in
pregame, the game itself, post game situations?
Does he give complete efort in practice? I have
never mentioned this to the players but they have
AFM: Have you ever had negative experiences

in handling player evaluations?
John Wristen
taken ownership of their efort. At the end of every practice, each day approximately 50% of the
team stays and runs bufaloes (gassers) across the
ield and back. When asked about this they say its
their extra efort to give for the team.
Wristen: The most important is mental toughness. If a kid has all the talent or physical tools in
the world but cant deal with adversity, he cant
play for us. Those types of questions are usually
answered in recruiting or that irst spring ball
where a player inds out if college football is really for him. We are going to coach our kids hard
and challenge them and some people just dont
respond to that.
Loney: Without a doubt mental toughness.
Can you take coaching? Will you bounce back
after you make a bad decision on the ield? Will
you keep ighting? This is a moment where we
as coaches put the onus on them to understand
that they control their efort. In this game mental
toughness is at a premium and thats what we are
looking for.
Bill Sabo, CSU-Pueblo Athletics
Kelchner: Efort in everything.

If they arent willing to give
efort in the classroom, and in
their personal lives, are they
really going to give full efort
on the ield? Thats the biggest
intangible for us is what type of
efort are they going to give.
Miller: One of my most heralded players was Marcus Lattimore, the running back for the
University of South Carolina.
He had it all. You could just tell
coming up through the ranks
he was going to be great. Marcus was faster, had more ability than others on the ield. His
instincts were second to none.
Those are the things we look
for when talking about intangibles. Speed, ability, instincts,
desire, and work ethic. Thats
what we are looking for.
Kelchner: I try to accentuate the positives in

everything. Ive been coaching now for 33 years
and how you coach players has changed so
much over they years. Players dont respond to
the way we used to coach before. They just tune
you out when you speak about what they are not
good at or need to work on. We have found that
they are very responsive to positive reinforcement, so thats why we try to emphasize those
things while dealing with the negative. When a
player does respond negatively, we try to use as
much discretion as possible and handle it immediately so that it cant linger around the team. If
the problem continues, depending on what the
problem is, we have a set of escalating reinforcement procedures to try and nip the problem.
Some procedures may be extra running, an activity we call rollers, cleaning the locker room,
etc. In the end we are trying to build them up.
Wristen: It happens, no question about it, and
its really inevitable. We take the approach of
treating them like our own son. We are going
to be truthful and look them in the eye and tell
them what their faults/weaknesses are, we are
going to discipline them, and coach them hard.
Again, some kids realize that college football just
isnt for them, and thats okay, too. As the head
coach I take the thought of Im not always perfect but I have to make the call. With our players,
we talk about they have the power of choice.
They choose whether to ight through adversity
and get better or be content.
Breisblatt: A player will question you every time
if you dont have evidence of it. Thats when issues occur. When I irst started coaching I used
to tell kids what they did wrong and they would
always ask what play, what formation, etc. I was
grasping at straws. Now as Ive matured as a
coach and technology has gotten better as well,
I have it all right in front of me. I have all the evidence on ilm, paper, grades etc. I can tell a kid
exactly what they did wrong. This has helped alleviate a lot of those issues.
Clearly, the ever-evolving technology has
helped the detail of player evaluations. Now,
each play is analyzed and direct feedback can
be given right away to a player. Many coaches
will give individual cut-ups to a player so he can
assess his own performance. In one area all of
the coaches on the subject agreed on one thing
they want the evaluation process to help the
individual player improve his performance. p
Chart 4
31
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Mastering the five points of contact will help keep
32
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your runners from fumbling dropping the ball.
By Chad Miller
Running Backs Coach t/PSUIXFTUFSO$PMMFHF ./
hen teaching ball carriers about ball security, we talk about the five
points of contact. The first point relates to our nickname which is the
Eagles, so I use the term Eagle Claw for the point of the football. The
second point of contact is the forearm and the third is the bicep. Both are used to secure
the outside part of the ball to the middle of the body which leads to the fourth point of
contact which is the chest. The fifth point is keeping the elbow down, which raises the
tip of the football to the position high and tight. The wording of each of these points
may change from person to person, but the basic idea is to make these terms simple and
understandable for your own players.
Why keep the ball up high and tight? I present
it to our players with a word picture - bicep curls.
All of the players have done curls, so I explain to
them that holding the ball in a bicep-curl position allows them to use more arm strength than
holding the ball with their arm at a 90-degree
angle. We reason that it is much easier to hold
100 lbs. up in a curl position than it is to hold that
weight with their arms straight out. The same is
true of the ball. Their muscles are naturally suited
to securing the ball better in this position than
with their arm at a 90-degree angle.
Another area of importance is breastplating
the football. When a runner is in the middle of
contact or is being tackled, bringing the football
into the middle of the body is critical. Keeping it
irmly in the hand that is carrying it, breastplating it, and then covering it up with the players
other hand will secure it even more. We do a few
diferent drills that emphasize this method. This
is crucial because the more a player practices
these principles, the more natural it will become
for your players to actually use them in a game.
In addition, we have a few unique terms that
we use in the Northwestern program. The irst
one is the F word fumble. We believe that
continually saying dont fumble is just another
negative that we would like to keep out of the

players mind. We may talk about taking care
of the football or, when necessary, we may say
dropping the football. But as much as we can,
we try to stay away from using the F word because of all of the negative connotations that
come with it. Secondly, during practice, whenever I see a player not carrying the football with the
ive points of contact, I yell security. Reminding
all of the players that we are watching and that
we will call them on something seemingly little
and yet so vital helps keep their focus on this crucial part of the game.
Transferring the football from arm to arm is
another important skill to work on with your players. We focus on teaching the players to reach
and pull. When we transfer it between arms, we
breastplate the football, reach across our body,
eagle claw the football and then pull it to the
other arm. Practicing this often is essential so that
the players keep the ball secured if they change it
to the other side of their body during a play. That
being said, we talk to them about not doing this
if they are in the open or are about to be hit, because those changes are often unnecessary and
create opportunities to lose the football.
We would be doing a disservice to the en-
33
Diagram 1: Circle Weave

tire team if we didnt teach all of the defensive
players the ball security routine. Defensively, we
stress getting the ball and causing turnovers. As
a result, if we dont practice taking care of the
football, the defense may lose the ball before the
ofense gets the opportunity to have it. In addition, there are many defensive players that are
touching the football on special teams, so knowing how to keep the ball safe is of great importance to defensive players as well.
I use a few diferent drills for ball security that
are easy and quick to set up. Our best drills are
ones that are similar to what will actually happen
in a game. Here are a few diferent drills that we
like to use:
Diagram 2: Reach and Pull Somersault Drill

2. The partner with the ball faces the other.
4. Switch partners.
(Diagram 1)
3. The partner with the ball will practice reaching

and pulling the football back and forth between
arms while they are jogging in place.
Note: You can also do the same drill with a partner on both sides of the ball-carrier to create
even more chaos.
1. Six to nine players get into a circle, far enough

apart so they cannot touch hands.
4. Partner without the ball will attempt to hit

and punch the ball out.
2. One player takes the football and weaves in

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5. On the whistle, the ball carrier will sommersault forward and sprint out 10 yards.
There are as many other drills for ball security

as your creativity allows you to develop. One of
the things that I do is ask the players what may
be a good drill to simulate a game-like situation.
They are playing, so using their experiences can
be fun for them as well as presenting them with
an opportunity to be a leader and help coach.
If I would have known these little tips when I
played, I believe it would have made me a much
better player.
So much of this game is about the ball and
how we take care of it. If we equip our players
with the skills they need to do this, they will have
more success and gain the type of conidence
we strive to develop in them. p
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6. Partners will switch and repeat drill.

3. The other players will attempt to strip the football from the player who is weaving.
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with the other hand.
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(Diagram 2)
Ball carrier will work on switching between arms
during contact, then breastplating the ball when
falling down.
1. Players pair up - each pair will need their own
ball.
34
453*1%3*-The ball carrier focuses on balance and ball security while moving.
1. Players will pair up - each pair needs their own
ball.
2. Ball carrier drives legs and runs securing the
football.
3. Partner without ball holds on to horse collar
trying to punch out or strip ball from ball carrier.
After about 5-10 yards, the player will begin to
shove the ball carrier, working on ball carriers
balance as well.
About the Author: Chad Miller has been on the

staf of Northwestern College for 16 years. He now
serves as both the running backs coach and passing game coordinator. A former quarterback and
wide receiver for Northwestern, Miller also is a junior high school physical education teacher in the
Burnsville School District.
UNDERSTANDING
COVERAGES
AND HOW TO
ATTACK THEM
Each defensive coverage has strengths and weaknesses

and ways to attack it.
ou can help your quarterbacks get through problem areas by

teaching them how to identify coverages. Whether it is the presnap read, reading on the move, or route adjustments, the quarterbacks performance is based upon his knowledge of how to identify and
react to coverages.
When teaching the quarterback to identify coverages, we start with the
pre-snap read, which will identify the secondarys alignment. This will start
his thought process prior to the snap. The purpose is to identify {1} the
depth of the corners, {2} number of safeties, {3} weak side lat defender and
{4} the number in the box.
We teach our QBs to ind the FS Waldo and from there they should
be able to identify the coverage. If we are using our three-step game, we
check the number of safeties and go to the lat defender and throw of
his reaction. If there is a one high safety, the lat defender would be the
strong safety or weakside linebacker. If there are two high safeties, the lat
38
defenders would be the corners.

If we are running our ive-step passing game, we will pre-snap read, ind
Waldo and on our irst two drop steps read Waldos reaction, which will
identify the coverage. Then we will go to our key from coverage read and
throw of his movement, which would be our movement key. We tell our
QBs that Waldo never lies he will tell you the coverage.
On the high school level, defenses dont try to disguise their coverages
as much as colleges. The pre-snap read was the coverage 90% of the time.
In college, coverages were disguised and mixed, so reading Waldo helped
us identify the coverage.
During practice, it didnt matter what type of drill we were doing. If it was
working on drops or footwork, I always had the QBs call out their route progression on a certain pass pattern when I would hold up one or two ingers
or four ingers for coverage. I tried to get as many mental reps as I could with
each practice. Here is a brief summary of coverages and how to attack them:
Photos: ASUCLA Photography
By Gene Suhr
Diagram 1: Three Deep Invert Sky
THREE DEEP INVERT SKY
Diagram 2: 3 Deep Cloud coverage Can roll Weak or Strong
(Diagram 1)
STRENGTHS
3. Cushion on wide receiver away from the rotation.

4. OLB is alone in the lat away from the rotation.
5. Cannot cover a lood route (three or four) receivers in the pattern.
Force and contain away from rotation.
1. Three deep secondary.

2. Four man rush.
3. Run support with SS.
HOW TO ATTACK IT:

WEAKNESSES
1. Flood routes - throw in alley created by sending three on two in the
perimeter (lood like routes).
2. Plenty of pass protection.
3. Quick passes away from the rotation.
4. Run away from rotation.
5. Get tight end involved.
1. Weakside curl/lat.
2. Strongside curl.
3. Limited fronts.
4. Run support away from SS.
5. Flood routes.
6. Dig route.
7. Four verticals.
HOW TO ATTACK IT:

1. Stretch it vertically and horizontally.
2. Plenty of pass protection.
3. Throw in alley created by sending three on two in perimeter
(lood type routes).
4. Weakside curl/lat.
5. Sprint or work away from SS.
3 DEEP CLOUD COVERAGE

(Diagram 2)
STRENGTHS
1. Safe - always three deep.
2. Force (to the rotation) against the run.
3. Leverage by the corner, (shut down weak lat or out).
4. Can cover eight zones with three man rush.
5. Can still bring four with force and contain to the rotation, and have
seven in coverage.
6. Easy to disguise.
WEAKNESSES
1. Versus eight in coverage the defense can only rush three with ive or
more to block them.
2. Only four defenders underneath to cover the six zones - large Curl
seams.
Diagram 3: 2 Deep Zone
2 DEEP ZONE
(Diagram 3)
STRENGTHS
1. Strong versus run.
2. Leverage on both wide receivers.
3. Cover ive of the six uderneath zones.
4. Four man pass rush.
5. Takes away the outs.
6. Can hold up the tight end.
7. Weakside force and contain.
39
WEAKNESSES
1. Safeties must cover half the ield, the three zones are covered by two.
2. Inside receiver down the middle.
3. LBs must cover curl.
4. Strong side contain.
5. Weak inside LBer to curl.
6. Wide splits can create lanes.
HOW TO ATTACK IT:

1. Use spread formations to horizontally stretch the safeties.
2. Vertically stretch the lats to create lanes.
3. A natural hole twenty to twenty ive yards along the sidelines.
4. Weakside curl.
5. Corner routes.
6. Flood type routes.
COVER TWO MAN
Diagram 4: Cover Two Man
(Diagram 4)
STRENGTHS
1. Double or bracket two receivers.
2. Four-man rush.
3. Every potential receiver is accounted for.
4. Can bump because each defender has help over the top.
5. Excellent versus zone type routes and screens.
3. Stay shallow with routes, catch the ball short, and run long.
4. Crossing routes (mesh) with the receivers.
5. Tight end or inside receiver in the alley or fades to wide receivers.
6. Running plays, especially option.
7. Use motion.
COVER 1 MAN
(Diagram 5)
WEAKNESSES
STRENGTHS
1. Poor run support, especially against the option.
2. Mismatch with the backs versus linebackers.
3. Hard to disguise versus motion.
4. Three-deep zones are not covered.
5. One-on-one underneath.
6. Crossing routes.
7. Bunch and snug types sets create problems.
HOW TO ATTACK IT:

1. Back routes on LBers.
2. Create mismatches with tight end or inside receiver running option
or read routes.
40
1. Pressure from a ive man rush.

2. Every potential receiver accounted for.
3. Defenders have help to the post excellent versus screens and delays.
4. Corners can play a tight man as they have help from the free safety
crowd the receivers on 3rd and 5 or longer.
5. Excellent versus zone routes.
6. Can take away outs with an outside technique by the corners.
7. Speed on speed good blitz coverage.

4. Three-deep zones are not covered.
5. No under cover.
6. Crossing routes and rubs.
7. No deep help.
8. Gamble defense.
9. Bunch and snug sets cause problems.
HOW TO ATTACK IT:

1. Empty formations all receivers are one-on-one
2. Tough to cover slants nobody in the middle.
3. Running plays option force and secondary force weakened.
4. Should have someone open if the QB has time.
Diagram 5: Cover 1 Man
PREVENT DEFENSE
WEAKNESSES
1. Poor run support especially vs option.
2. Mismatch with the backs verses LBers.
4. Three-deep zones are not covered
5. No under cover crossing routes.
6. Bunch and snug sets cause problems.
HOW TO ATTACK IT:

1. Back routes on LBers.
2. Create mismatches with inside receivers or tight end running option
routes.
3. Stay shallow with routes. Catch ball short and run long.
4. Crossing routes (mesh) with the wide receivers.
5. Inside receivers in the alleys or fades to the wide receivers.
6. Running plays, especially option.
7. Coverage away from FS by looking of.
The prevent is a defensive scheme designed to force the ofense to use

time to score. It protects against quick scores while allowing the ofense
to pick up yards.
STRENGTHS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Deep zones, four defenders are deep.

Can get under deep outs and curls
Can keep the QB in the pocket with an outside rush.
Defensive backs can ly to the ball when its thrown deep.
The boundary is protected.
WEAKNESSES:
1.
2.
3.
3.
4.
Inside run and draw plays.

Back on delays to the middle.
Middle hook zones
Quick routes on time.
In the undercover seams.
HOW TO ATTACK IT:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Diagram 6: Cover 0 Man
COVER 0 MAN
(Diagram 6)
Horizontally stretch the pass zones

Use deep crossing routes.
Underneath passes at 12 yards or less with stops, lats and outs on time.
Empty sets.
Draw plays.
Backs on delays.
Get the ball to your playmaker underneath. p
About the Author: Understanding Coverages and How to Attack Them is from
Gene Suhrs book, First Downs and Touchdowns. The book is available online
by emailing Coach Suhr at gsuhr1221@hotmail.com. Now a new member of
the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame, Suhr had an overall coaching
record of 200-95 including two Nebraska State Championships.
STRENGTHS
1. Pressure (blitz capability) and penetration from a six to seven man rush.
2. Big play potential.
3. Clog up running lanes.
4. Force the ofense to throw the ball.
WEAKNESSES
1. Poor run support especially against option.
2. Mismatch with the backs versus LBers.
Coach Suhr answers your questions on Facebook - just go

to http://www.facebook.com/AmericanFootballMonthly/
Articles on this subject are on

AmericanFootballMonthly.com
Coach to Coach 4 Strategies in Preparing Your QB for Success February, 2013

Getting Successful Quarterback Play October, 2010
Drills Report: Advanced QB Drills September, 2008
41
RUNNING THE
Using the TRIPLE OPTION with the PISTOL OFFENSE
is a natural fit and can improve both your running
and passing game.
By Nathan Cochran
Ofensive CoordinatortAlma College
ike Army and Navy, we have been a traditional triple option team and have experienced success because our ofense
gave us a way to compete against superior talent. While we have had a potent rushing attack,
when teams put nine or ten players in the box we
didnt have an answer. Last season, we decided
to experiment and add the pistol to our ofense.
Adding the pistol to our ofense gave us a way
to make defenses more accountable for protecting the ield vertically as well as horizontally. The
pistol expanded our triple option and our quick
passing game options that allowed us to move
the ball more successfully.
We set our quarterbacks heels at two and a
half yards from the nose of the football. Our slots
align four yards from the tackles and even with
the quarterback. The depth of the slots helps us
hide the action of the motion from the defense.
42
Our fullback is in a threepoint stance and sets

his heels six and a half yards from the nose of the
football (Diagram 1). We do not use a traditional
fullback. We dont want a bruiser, but a tailbacktype who wasnt afraid to run inside. The slots and
fullback are interchangeable athletes.
Diagram 1.
TRIPLE OPTION IN THE PISTOL

The pistol gives our ofense four diferent triple options without having to
change the reads for our quarterback. Our quarterback had always run the
triple option, so we try to make the reads as easy for him as possible. In Diagram 2, you can see how we ran the traditional triple option from our normal
spread formation without the pistol. In Diagram 3, you see there is very little
diference while we are in the pistol. The pistol snap does take considerable
practice. Our backside tackle and guard do not scoop as performed in the traditional triple option. We use a wall of technique which allows our fullback
to cut back and, therefore, we dont get run down by the backside defensive
end. Also, being in the pistol places our quarterback farther away from the
dive read which makes it easier to read. The pistol also moves the pitch read
further away from the quarterback, giving us less chances of facing bullet
reads (e.g., the dive read crashing on the fullback and the pitch read coming
at the same time) of the edge.
From the pistol, we are able to run other versions of the triple option that
utilize the same reads and give the defenses diferent looks. We use a dive/
bubble concept. This keeps defenses from keying the pitch motion and trying
to run the safety in our alleys (Diagram 4). Our QB places his feet in the same
location as in the triple option and reads the same defenders. When the quarterback comes of the mesh, he runs to the sideline, unlike our normal triple
option. This makes it easier for him to throw the bubble. If the pitch read goes
with the bubble, the quarterback turns upield and attacks the alley. Diagram
5 and Diagram 6 are two shovel concepts we use. The shovel pass is always
a safe play because if the shovel back drops the pitch, its an incomplete pass.
The reads are the same for the quarterback. We teach him to catch the snap
and back up two steps. He must set his feet and read the normal dive read. If
the dive read takes the shovel back, the quarterback can take of and attack
the pitch read. In Diagram 6, we want the QB to attack the sideline so he can
throw the bubble.
Diagram 4.
Diagram 2.
Diagram 5.
Diagram 3.
Diagram 6.
43
Want More Xs and Os?

3-STEP PASSING
TO SUCCESS
De
Offense
Strength &
Conditioning
Special Teams
Program Manag
ement
Defense
Offense
ement
Program Manag
Special Teams
Conditioning
A few adjustments in a
quarterbacks technique
can improve his short
passing game.
Coach
JBOtHead
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ura Colleg
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10 grid
stra tegi
Parkers
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One of the more successful schemes is run out of a 3 X 1 Set. On

this play, we have our X running a 4 to 6 yard speed out. If he gets
press man coverage, he has the option to convert it to a fade. His split
should be inside the numbers.
Our Y runs a 5-yard Stick route. He is coached to attack for outside
leverage of the irst defender outside of him. At 5 yards, hell sit and
work the window vs. zone. Our nickel the second receiver on the trips
side runs a 3-yard speed out. His split should be less than halfway
between the Z and the Y.
The Z runs a fade and must outside release and maintain leverage
on the bottom of the numbers. We call that a fade hole. We want to
leave a window for an outside fade throw (Diagram 2).
ge Drill
Stalk Drill
Diagram
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n our progr
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We have an extensive 3-step passing game out of a variety of diferent

looks. This one is one of our most successful. Our QBs like it because its
lexible. It allows for answers to a lot of diferent defenses and coverages.
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15
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CURRENT ISSUE
Strength &
The Drop
hen teaching the 3-step passing game, scheme is important,

but I always look irst at how fast are we getting the ball
of. The set and drop by the quarterback is critical. After
years of teaching a straight drop 3-step, I worked a camp
at the University of Virginia and found something I liked better and
that made more sense. Ive always taught my quarterbacks to have
their push foot slightly further back in their stance to gain a little extra
depth on the set. But I never looked at the angle at which they drop.
Making a great throw in the quick game means getting the ball of fast.
This means getting the throwing shoulder aimed to the target as fast
as possible. It also means getting the quarterbacks hips in line to the
target as well.
Presnap, our QBs select the side they are reading and throwing.
So on the snap we have the drop at an angle slightly away from the
throw. Instead of pushing straight back, we push to the A gap away
from the side were reading. With eyes on the read, by the time you hit
the third step, the QB should have his shoulder aimed to the target as
opposed to dropping straight back, then having to open the hips to
make the throw. This slight angle drop gets everything in line to the
target and can be done on throws to the left or the right. I ind that
for right handed QBs throwing left or left handed QBs throwing right,
this technique is especially productive in getting the ball out fast and
accurately (Diagram 1).
t The Air Raid Ofense - Installation and Practice Breakdown

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Diagram 7.
One variant the pistol provides us is a jet sweep play. This is the type of
play you see many spread teams run. This play is an example of an outside
midline. As shown in Diagram 7, we back our quarterback up to three and
a half yards to put more distance between the read and our sweeping slot.
We also tell the slot to bubble away from the line of scrimmage somewhat
after the handof. The diiculty with this play is it works the opposite of
what we teach our quarterback on most read plays. In this play, if the read
closes down on the tackle, we want the quarterback to give the football
to the slot coming in motion. If the read comes upield or widens with the
sweep, we want the quarterback to keep the football. Our quarterback will
step back of the ball and take shuffle steps with the slot as he runs the
sweep, all while keeping his eyes on the read. This play is a great complement to our triple option.
The pistol also helps our ofense achieve a more efective passing game.
We utilize a quick passing game along with our play-action passes. We use
three quick passing concepts that are very efective for us. In Diagrams 8,
9, and 10, you can see our diferent concepts. We teach our quarterback to
read softest coverage and shortest throw. In Diagram 8, we tell the quarterback to read his normal pitch read. If the read goes immediately to the
bubble, the quarterback should throw the slant. If the pitch read is backed
up, the quarterback is taught to throw the bubble. In Diagram 9, we use a
hitch-seam concept and, in Diagram 10, we use a lat-fade concept. The selections are high percentage throws for our quarterback and we use these
to build his throwing conidence.
Using the pistol to complement your spread triple option ofense is a
natural it. It requires a very structured practice time to implement the pistol snap. Quarterbacks and centers must work on the snap every day. We
have a speciic practice time called the Ride n Decide period and we incorporate the pistol snap into it. The pistol is a desirable complement to the
triple option because it still allows you to have a natural downhill running
game. It can also help an option quarterback who is not used to dropping
back to pass. p
About the Author: Nate Cochran was named ofensive coordinator and ofensive
line coach at Alma College this past January. He joined Alma from North Park University where he was ofensive coordinator, quarterbacks and running backs coach,
and recruiting coordinator. He wrote this article while at North Park. Cochran was
the head coach at Lincoln University (MO) during the 2009 and 2010 seasons. He
also coached at both Avila University and Blackburn College.
Coach Cochran answers your questions on Facebook - just go

to http://www.facebook.com/AmericanFootballMonthly/
Diagram 8.
Diagram 9.
Diagram 10.

Multiplicity Using Personnel Groupings to Enhance Your Ofense

and Player Morale May, 2012
Open Opportunities: Get Your Tight End Involved in the Option Pass Game
April, 2012
Drills Report Tight End Run Blocking: The Reach-Scoop Drill April, 2011
45
An 8-man box
and rolling a
safety down
while in cover 3
can be an
effective way
of stopping the
power play.
DEFENDING
THE POWER PLAY
By J.G Aegerter
Defensive Coordinator
Palomar College
e deine Power as a gap blocking scheme

with a fullback kicking out the end man
on the line of scrimmage (EMLOS), and a
backside guard pulling through on the playside
linebacker. This play is used on a consistent basis
by our own ofense and by the opponents in our
conference, so we have to be sound in defending
this type of physical run.
Our entire philosophy on this play is to stop it
from getting downhill. We want the ball carrier
to go East and West so the gain is minimal. This
allows for our team speed and pursuit to chase
it down. In order to deny the ball carrier from
getting downhill, we must be the more physical
team upfront and spill the ball carrier to the perimeter. When we spill, the defender at the point
of attack (POA) will take his outside arm and rip
through the inside arm of the kickout block,
forcing the ball carrier to spill to the perimeter.
Our defender wants to spill two yards behind
the line of scrimmage to deine the path of the ball
carrier immediately. The best case scenario for the
spill defender is to get two for one by disrupting
the fullback and backside guard pull. This gives us
an advantage with numbers to the play side.
Fronts/Coverages
We will either be in our Over (Diagram 1) or
Under (Diagram 2) front when defending the
power run. The coverage we want to be in when
defending this play is cover 3. This allows us to
build an eight-man box by rolling a safety down
(force player) to help in run support. We have
had tremendous success in defending this play
with this philosophy. p
46
Diagram 1: Over vs. Pro Near Set; DE will Spill FB kickof block
POS
TECH
KEY
TE
Vs. double team by G and T, split and hold B Gap, DENY PUSH.
Vs. C blocking back for G pull, cross face and work down LOS.
Vs. hinge by the T, squeeze B gap and play CBR.
Responsibility
Vs. TE down block, eyes to FB, if FB to spill.
TE-T to
backield
Vs. double down by TE and T, scrape and play for spill.

Inside it on ball carrier. If G pull gets through LOS, spill run
to FORCE player (SS.)
G-C-G to
backield
Vs. G pull, follow and stay inside out of ball carrier.

Scrape over the top of TEs block.
G-T to
backield

Responsible for cutback.
SS
3x5
TE to backield
FORCE Player. Vs. down block by TE with low to, ill downhill
and play for the spill. Outside it on ball carrier.
Diagram 2: Under vs. Pro Near Set; S will Spill FB kickof block
POS TECH
KEY
Responsibility
Vs. double team by TE and T, split and hold C Gap. DENY PUSH
Vs. (Visual Key) blocking back for G pull, eyes to and attack G,
cross face and work down LOS.
Vs. G pull, chase if you get penetration. If not, cross face C and
work down LOS.
Vs. hinge by the T, squeeze B gap and play CBR.
TE to backield
Vs. TE down block, eyes to FB to spill.
G-T to backield
Vs. double down by G and T, scrape and play for spill.

Inside it on ball carrier. If G pull gets through LOS, spill run
to force player (SS).
G-T to backield

Responsible for cutback.
SS
3x5
TE to backield
Vs. down block by TE, ill downhill and play for the spill.
Outside it on ball carrier.
About the Author: J.G Aegerter is the defensive coordinator and defensive line coach at Palomar College. He was a
defensive coach at Palomar with three diferent championship teams the 1991 National City College Co-Champions,
the 1993 National Champions, and the 1998 National
Co-Champions. Aegerter holds a Bachelors Degree from
Wyoming and a Masters Degree from Azusa Pacific.
Coach Aegerter answers your questions on
Facebook - just go to to http://www.facebook.
com/AmericanFootballMonthly/
Defending the Power game with the Stack Defense

February, 2013
Diferent looks From the 4-3 Defensive Scheme
April, 2012
The Power Read Run February, 2012
47
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Presented by
urtis Tsuruda has over 30 years of experience as a strength and conditioning coach. He has
worked at Tulane, LSU, Hawaii and Mississippi State. Tsuruda is currently the strength and conditioning coach at East St. John High School in Reserve, Louisiana. He holds the distinction of being
a Master Strength and Conditioning Coach, the highest honor in his profession and was selected
in 2010 as Samson Equipments National High School Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year. He
answers your questions.
What is your philosophy and schedule (days of

the week) for in-season workouts and how do
you use that to build strength and endurance?
Ron Cook, Defensive Coordinator, Lumberton High
School (NC).
Philosophy: We are training for post-season
play, but everything is based upon what we have
done since the last football game. You must constantly evaluate your plan.
Schedule: Sit down with the head coach and see
what his daily plan looks like. You dont want to
burn the players out. Three times a week is what
I like to use.
Day 1- Heavy upper body (Monday)
Day 2 Heavy lower body (Tuesday)
Day 3 Shoulder day (Wednesday)
Day after the game lush workout total body
(Saturday)
We use a mini four-week cycle and repeat it as
the season goes on. All Olympic movements are
based on speed and technique. For endurance,
you can use a drop set after the last working set.
What is your feeling on lifting/speed agility
training on game day for the high school player? Bryan Gray, Head Coach, East Hall HS (GA).
Here is my list in no particular order:

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My questions pertain to of-season conditioning
for a college D-III program. With the non-contact
for coaches in the of-season, what are some
motivational tactics that youve found to be successful to keep athletes consistently in the weight
room? What is the right balance of Speed-AgilityQuickness work and strength training? How can
we position it better to help linemen focus more
of their of-season on SAQ? Jud Keim, Assistant
Head Coach, Pacific Lutheran University.
A. Motivational tactics: quotes that we use with
our players:
Whatever you dont do, its not hurting me,
but your future.
Your opponents are working out also.
Research shows a decrease in strength levels
varies from 7-14 days.
We dont do it because you run into a logistics

problem. If you have a home game, you can, but if
on the road, it is very diicult. It may become a psychological problem when you dont so I wouldnt
advise it. Always remember, If you are over trained,
you will have nothing left in the tank.
1. What are the needs of the team or positions or

athlete speciic needs?
What are your must movements for training

pre-season and in-season? Steve Walsh, Assistant
Coach, St. Thomas Middle School, Glen Mills (PA).
2. It is human nature to gravitate to what youre

good at. Lifters like to lift and not condition while
speed guys like to run, but are not great in the
50
weight room. You must have a balance of both. If

you dont, sooner or later you will be exposed. The
player needs to be a well-rounded athlete.
You can never be in good enough shape.

B. SAQ work and strength training:
C. Linemen: You have to get there irst. The

only way he can accomplish that on every play is
to work on his SAQ.
With the popularity of the new cross fit workouts, is there relevance for this type of training
with football preparation and injury prevention? Dan McLean, Head Coach. Detroit Country
Day School (MI).
They break up the monotony of workouts, but
the athlete needs to be prepared to make those
types of movements. Yes, there is relevance, but
the coach needs to choose exercises wisely. It is
very easy to rah, rah a player in the training room
without proper preparation and planning.
What is your feeling on low rep/high percentage workouts during the season? What are
your thoughts on both kettle bell swings and
the snatch during the season? Paul Walderzak,
Head Coach, Standish-Sterling High School (MI).
What you do during the season is based upon
what youve done leading up to it. Everything
should be based on what and how practice will
be for that day. Why do a 95% squat workout
when you know youre going to run 8 x 110s after a 2 hour full pads hard hitting practice? Remember, youre in high school. Save your hardest
workouts for Friday night. Just ask yourself, Are
we training hard or smart?
As for kettle bell swings, is it a core or auxiliary lift? If you do it, keep the volume down. We
snatch during the season. p
More responses from Coach Tsuruda are on
www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com.

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EAJH/9Z[ZcY^c\i]ZEDL:GEA6NI]Z7ZhiLG9G>AAH

7 Top coaches share

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Nothing in football is isolative. One of the core

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pattern with signiicant weight can confuse the

#Z-BSSZ&ENPOETPOtQuarterbacks Coach and Passing Game CoordinatortRice University

am always looking for efective drills that my receivers can use

ball. They will eventually get the message.

Bad Ball Drill

1. High ball ball is thrown so receiver must

Diagram 1: Bad Ball Drill

2. Low ball ball is thrown so receiver must

Diagram 2: Distraction Drill

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